The Meaning of 1 Kings 17:3 Explained

1 Kings 17:3

KJV: Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

YLT: Go from this place; and thou hast turned for thee eastward, and been hidden by the brook Cherith, that is on the front of the Jordan,

Darby: Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the torrent Cherith, which is before the Jordan.

ASV: Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before the Jordan.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Get  thee hence, and turn  thee eastward,  and hide  thyself by the brook  Cherith,  that [is] before  Jordan. 

What does 1 Kings 17:3 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 17:1-7 - Sin's Climax Summons Jehovah's Prophet
From the beginning of his reign Ahab set aside both the First and the Second Commandment. His marriage with Jezebel, the young and beautiful Sidonian princess, plunged him and his kingdom into yet deeper darkness. In addition to Jeroboam's calves, the worship of Baal, the sun-god, was shamelessly introduced, and his temple was served by hundreds of priests. The inspired artist does not hesitate to paint with Rembrandt colors, and the illustrious glory of Elijah shows clearly against the dark background. The darkest hour precedes the dawn; the keenest pain ushers in birth. First Ahab and Jezebel, then Elijah.
Gilead was far from court or temple-God trains His workers in His own school. The prophet's name-"Jehovah is my strength"-suggests where he abode and whence he derived his power. He stood before God for the uniting and the uplifting of a divided people. The drought was the result of prayer. Elijah felt that nothing less could arrest king and people, James 5:17. The man who stands before God is not afraid to stand before Ahab. Now and again God bids His servants hide themselves toward the sunrise, but in these periods of enforced seclusion He makes Himself responsible for their supplies. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 17

1  Elijah, having prophesied against Ahab,
3  is sent to Cherith where the ravens feed him
8  He is sent to the widow of Zarephath
17  He raises the widow's son
24  The woman believes him

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 17:3 mean?

Get away from this [place] and turn to you eastward and hide by the Brook Cherith which [flows] upon into the Jordan
לֵ֣ךְ מִזֶּ֔ה וּפָנִ֥יתָ לְּךָ֖ קֵ֑דְמָה וְנִסְתַּרְתָּ֙ בְּנַ֣חַל כְּרִ֔ית אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־ פְּנֵ֥י הַיַּרְדֵּֽן

לֵ֣ךְ  Get  away 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
מִזֶּ֔ה  from  this  [place] 
Parse: Preposition-m, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
וּפָנִ֥יתָ  and  turn 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: פֹּונֶה 
Sense: to turn.
לְּךָ֖  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
קֵ֑דְמָה  eastward 
Parse: Adverb, third person feminine singular
Root: קֶדֶם 
Sense: east, antiquity, front, that which is before, aforetime.
וְנִסְתַּרְתָּ֙  and  hide 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: סָתַר  
Sense: to hide, conceal.
בְּנַ֣חַל  by  the  Brook 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נַחַל 
Sense: torrent, valley, wadi, torrent-valley.
כְּרִ֔ית  Cherith 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: כְּרִית  
Sense: the brook where Elijah was hidden during a drought; east of Jordan.
אֲשֶׁ֖ר  which  [flows] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עַל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
פְּנֵ֥י  into 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
הַיַּרְדֵּֽן  the  Jordan 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יַרְדֵּן  
Sense: the river of Palestine running from the roots of Anti-Lebanon to the Dead Sea a distance of approx 200 miles (320 km).